In spark-ignition engines, it is known to obtain a steady state shift of the operating point by forming so-called reserve torques so that torque requests can be realized with the required dynamic. In this way, the desired value of an actuating quantity increases for a slow actuating path. The slow actuating path can be a charge path and the actuating variable can be the charge of the internal combustion engine. The increase of the desired value for the charge for forming a reserve torque is connected with a shift of the ignition angle in the retard direction in order to not influence the present torque of the drive unit of the vehicle and to activate the reserve torque with a high dynamic for a corresponding torque request so that the actual torque of the engine can essentially follow the desired torque with the requested dynamic. External torque requests such as torque losses because of external ancillary equipment and engine torque losses are viewed functionally separate from engine-internal torque requests such as those which arise when heating the catalytic converter.